Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith thinks fans might be allowed at football games in the fall, but capacity will be reduced.
One of the biggest debates in all of sports right now is whether or not fans will be allowed to attend games during the coronavirus pandemic. Smith believes fans could be at games, but changes will have to be made.
According to Dan Hope, Smith told reporters Wednesday there are plans for around 22,000 fans to attend games in the fall with social distancing guidelines. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Gene Smith said Ohio State has looked at social distancing concepts that would allow Ohio Stadium to have some fans this season, but those concepts would likely reduce capacity to 20,000-22,000 fans.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) May 20, 2020
Smith later clarified on Twitter and said, “The number of fans we could host in Ohio Stadium this fall under physical distance guidelines could be as low as 22k, but also may be as many as 40-50k if guidelines are relaxed.”
Just want to clarify:
The number of fans we could host in Ohio Stadium this fall under physical distance guidelines could be as low as 22k, but also may be as many as 40-50k if guidelines are relaxed. pic.twitter.com/VEUPFPc4V8
— gene smith (@OSU_AD) May 20, 2020
Well, it’s certainly better than nothing. Playing in empty stadiums will be awful. Will I accept it as a fan of college football?
Yes. Do I think it’s an optimal outcome? No. College football is meant to be played in front of rabid and passionate fans.
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Even if only 50,000 fans are allowed in, that’s still lightyears better than playing in empty stadiums. That much is for sure.
Hopefully, the good people of Ohio are able to attend Buckeyes games in high numbers in the fall.
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Despite the fact that I hate OSU, I still want their fans to enjoy the season. Remember, we’re all in this fight together!